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First: Netflix Outpaces HBO in U.S. Subscriptions

Variety, Tuesday, April 23, 2013 4:56 PM

For the first time ever, Netflix tracked more U.S. subscribers than HBO, according to figures for the year's first quarter. Worldwide, however, "HBO has 114 million subscribers across the globe, a far cry from the 7.14 million Netflix has outside the U.S.," writes Andrew Wallenstein. Still, "the new figures will likely escalate the rivalry simmering between the two companies, given the barbs Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and Jeff Bewkes, chairman of HBO parent company Time Warner, have traded over the years."

In other news from Netflix, "it plans to let its deal to carry Nickelodeon, BET and MTV content expire next month, even though it continues to discuss licensing certain shows," writes Dawn Chmielewski in the L.A.Times. "The video subscription service said it has been moving away from broad, multi-year deals with networks and cable channels, in favor of more selective licensing arrangements to carry programs that will work best for its subscribers."

Read the whole story at Variety »

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3 comments about "First: Netflix Outpaces HBO in U.S. Subscriptions".

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Doug Garnett from Protonik, LLC, April 24, 2013 at 5:48 p.m.
I learned early to ponder whether all is what it seems. That last paragraph is strategically quite concerning. Kind of looks like Netflix is continuing its strategic frantic ping-pong from idea to idea attempting to find a strategy that's profitable. They've been shifting business strategies faster than Beyonce' changes costume and that's typically unhealthy. But I'll give them credit for avoiding more stock crashes like pricing fiasco brought on.
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Nitin Narang from mediaentertainmentinfo, April 24, 2013 at 11:09 p.m.

Netflix has been a real turner which was expected doomed after they introduced rapid changes into delivery and pricing.. but they have emerged stronger.. Having ability to recognize opportunities they are already ahead with producing original content of their own which will differentiate their service and lend better bargaining power

Doug Garnett from Protonik, LLC, April 25, 2013 at 6:06 p.m.

Nitin- Good points. But it's not clear to me they ARE stronger. They've done nice PR to appear stronger. Are they fundamentally stronger? That's not clear. And this strategic graal-quest suggests we should only slowly jump to the conclusion they're stronger.